First Look: 2022 Kia EV6 GT

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When looking at Kia’s mercurial rise from purveyor of cheap econoboxes to the current design and engineering force it has become, it’s no surprise this Korean automaker’s first designed-from-the-ground-up fully battery-electric vehicle will be swinging for the fences.

The 2022 Kia EV6, which launches later in 2021 in some markets, appears ready to hit a lot of competitors right where it hurts in these early days of automotive electrification. Considering how good the current battery-powered Kia Niro and Soul are, we can expect next-level EV greatness from the EV6.

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We’ll have to wait for Canadian pricing, but value will surely be an important chapter in EV6’s playbook. Cue trembling from the premium German players, Volvo, and possibly Tesla as we look beyond the EV6’s striking skin and take a deeper dive into the hardware.

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The EV6 is the first vehicle to use Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and Kia is offering a pretty wide swath of powertrains with its new crossover/hatchback/shooting brake thingy. There’s a long-range battery pack (77.4 kWh) and a standard range pack (58.0 kWh) and both AWD and 2WD are available with either pack.

The electric crossover will come in three trim levels — the EV6, EV6 GT-line and the top-dog EV6 GT. The range champ will be the 2WD GT-line fitted with the long-range battery pack. It deliver over 510 km (310 miles) on the WLTB combined cycle. These rear-drive models with the 77.4-kWh battery run with a 229-horsepower electric motor, and for all-wheel-drive models, two electric motors making a combined 325 horsepower drive the front and rear wheels. Maximum available torque with AWD is 446 lb-ft, and these models will scoot to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.

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The smaller 58.0-kWh battery pack pairs with a 168-hp motor powering the rear wheels, and all-wheel-drive models with this battery get dual motors totaling 232-hp driving. Max torque remains 446 lb-ft with AWD.

The inherent simplicity of this dedicated EV platform (a sandwich of batteries with one or two motors) allows for many possibilities. Cue the top-tier AWD-only EV6 GT, where Kia throws its hat into the speedy-EV ring. Fitted with dual motors totalling 576 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque, the GT’s zero-to-100-km/h dash is done in 3.5 seconds, topping out at 260 km/h. The EV6 GT also gets electronic limited-slip differential software, a sports steering wheel, sport buckets, larger wheels and number of other upgrades. The GT’s range is pegged at 405 km, about the same as the current Kia Soul EV.

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Kia claims the EV6 will be the fastest charging BEV on the market. It offers both 400V and 800V charging systems, the latter matching that of the Porsche Taycan. All variants are capable of a high-speed charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes if you can find a 350-kW fast charger. The 2WD GT-line with the larger battery will top up 100 km worth of range in four-and-a-half minutes. Of interest is the EV6’s vehicle-to-load function (V2L) that enables it to supply up to 3.6 W of juice, enough to run a home air conditioner and 55-inch TV for 24 hours, or even charge another electric car, Kia tells us.

The EV6’s interior looks to be as much of a showpiece as its epidermis. Kia has made the most of the platform’s flat floor, and despite the car’s compact footprint it offers interior space comparable to mid- or large-size crossovers. There’s a floating centre console with open storage underneath, and the lean dashboard features two 12-inch displays forming a sweeping compound curve. Below is a configurable haptic control panel in the centre console. Kia tells us its current mandate to bestow user-friendly ergonomic controls carries forward here with the EV6’s more digital interface. Also available is an augmented-reality HUD. Various levels of regenerative braking are called up via steering wheel paddles, with the most aggressive offering largely “one-pedal” operation.

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Sustainable mobility is a concept Kia throws about when speaking of its future goals, and the EV6 does its part by offering its zero-gravity seats trimmed in either a material made from recycled plastic bottles, vegan leather, or flaxseed oil-tanned leather.

Utility appears to be an EV6 strong point — cargo space behind the second row is 520 litres, expanding to 1,300 litres with the seat folded. There’s also a front trunk. The EV6 will tow up to 1,600 kg.

The EV6 is the ambassador of the “new” Kia brand, the first global representative of its push for electrification, sustainability, and the brand’s fresh design initiative. And, dang, this Kia is a beautiful thing, showing just-right proportions enhanced with a floating roof, artistic body sculpting, and a rear end with a double-arcing two-colour taillight feature that is something to behold.

Kia design chief Karim Habib says the EV6 is a blend of hatchback, crossover, and even rally car with its muscular haunches and generous ground clearance. Kia expects to sell 100,000 EV6es worldwide in its first year, with 5,000 to 10,000 landing in Canada.